Are you lucky?
Unexpected Elements
BBC
4.4 • 565 Ratings
🗓️ 13 February 2026
⏱️ 50 minutes
🧾️ Download transcript
Summary
K-pop fans in Taiwan have been turning to the God of love in the hope it will boost their luck in getting concert tickets. It got the Unexpected Elements team thinking, are some people just lucky?
First, we look at how music resonates in the brain and why listening to it live can feel more emotional. Also, can we measure how lucky we are? We look at a possible formula, and how you can increase your chances of striking on a lucky event.
We are then joined by professor of marketing Marco Bertini, who explains the wild west of dynamic pricing and gives us some tips and tricks along the way. Plus we hear about Kenya’s ambitious plans to integrate traditional medicine into its health system.
And finally, why we dance when we pee and the Great British art of queuing. That’s all on this week’s Unexpected Elements.
Presenter: Marnie Chesterton, with Phillys Mwatee and Imaan Moin Producer: Margaret Sessa-Hawkins, with Ella Hubber, Lucy Davies, Imy Harper and Tim Dodd
Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | BBC Sounds, Music, Radio, Podcasts. |
| 0:07.0 | In 2019, we began investigating the disappearance of Dr. Ruzha Ignatva. |
| 0:14.0 | I believe we are a very special network. |
| 0:16.0 | A scammer who stole billions from investors around the world. |
| 0:21.4 | She's on the FBI's 10 most wanted list. |
| 0:24.5 | And now we have some unmissable updates. |
| 0:27.8 | She has money, and when you have money, you have power. |
| 0:30.6 | Join me, Jamie Bartlett, as the hunt for the missing crypto queen continues. |
| 0:35.5 | Listen first on BBC Sounds. |
| 0:42.7 | Thank you. This in Crypto Queen continues. Listen first on BBC Sounds. This weekend, I took the train across the country to go and see an old friend. I bought my tickets in advance to save a bit of money, which turned out to be not the money saver I'd hoped. |
| 0:56.1 | My pal wanted to collect me from a different station, so I added two more tickets. |
| 1:01.9 | On the way back, I noticed my ticket was only valid if I stopped at a station that my train was due to sail through. |
| 1:09.1 | I bought an extra ticket. And when I finally boarded, it was |
| 1:13.6 | Sunday evening, which meant the train was so packed that there weren't any seats. So I bought |
| 1:18.9 | one last extra ticket, arguably an unnecessary one, which upgraded me to first class and meant |
| 1:26.4 | that for the price of four cups of coffee, |
| 1:28.6 | I was allowed to sit down. |
| 1:30.6 | Bliss. |
| 1:31.7 | I'm Marnie Chasterton from the BBC World Service. |
| 1:35.0 | This is Unexpected Elements. |
| 1:37.0 | Music This show is a roundtable coming to you from Cardiff in the UK, but showcasing some global science broadcasters. |
| 2:03.9 | In Nairobi, Kenya, we have Phyllis Mwate. Welcome. |
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